chapter eight.

I.

Sean O'Brien drove his big Cadillac along a lonely stretch of the river bank. The dirt road was potholed and dusty. No traffic came that way since the canning factory had closed down. The few remaining sheds and the broken-down jetty made a convenient place to leave a car and board the motorboat out to Tux's cruiser.

He drove his car into the rickety lean-to shed, cut the engine and got out of the car. He walked down to the jetty where the motorboat was waiting.

Willow Point, an ancient, rusty, eighty-foot cruiser, lay at anchor, half a mile from the mud flats. Ostensibly used by Tux to fish from when he happened to be in the mood for fishing, it also provided a convenient and safe hideout for any of Tux's friends who were in trouble.

O'Brien climbed into the motorboat, nodded to the mulatto who sat in the stern and settled himself into the bucket seat.

The mulatto cast off, shoved the nose of the boat clear of the jetty, men started the engine and headed across the muddy estuary towards Willow Point.

Tux was leaning on the rail as the motorboat came alongside. He was thickset, immensely powerful and swarthy. His washed-out blue eyes moved continuously and restlessly. His hard, brutal face was fleshy, and he badly needed a shave. He wore an open-necked black shirt, dirty white trousers and a yachting cap set jauntily over his right eye.

He was the only survivor of O'Brien's drug trafficking days: a dangerous man with a knife or a gun. O'Brien found him invaluable. He paid him well, and he had never known Tux to fall down on any job, no matter how hard or dangerous.

Tux lifted a languid finger to his cap as...o...b..ien climbed on board.

"Where is he?" O'Brien asked.

"Below," Tux told him, and jerked his thumb to the companion ladder. Seated on an empty box, guarding the way down, was a big negro, naked to the waist, who grinned sheepishly at O'Brien, then got up and moved away from the door.

"What happened?" O'Brien asked.

"A little trouble," Tux returned indifferently. He had spent all his life dealing with trouble. "I had to tap him, but we got away without being seen. He tried to get rough as we were bringing him over, so Solly had to tap him again."

"Is he hurt?" O'Brien said sharply.

"Just a tap," Tux said, shrugging. He was an expert at tapping people. He knew just where and how hard to hit them. "Nothing to it. Want to talk to him, boss?"

"Yes."

Tux led the way below deck, along a pa.s.sage to a cabin. He took a key from his pocket, unlocked the door and shoved it open. He walked in and O'Brien followed him.

Johnny Dorman lay on the bunk, one long leg hanging over the side. He opened his eyes as...o...b..ien came to stand at his side.

O'Brien looked at him, his face expressionless.

Johnny was uncannily like his sister, but without her strength of character. He had the same well-shaped nose and the green eyes, and his thick hair was the same shade as Gilda's.

A good-looking weakling, O'Brien thought. My luck she has to have a punk like this for a brother.

"h.e.l.lo, Johnny," he said.

Johnny didn't move. He stared up at O'Brien, his green eyes watchful.

"What's the idea, Sean?" he asked. "Gilda's going to love this when I tell her."

O'Brien pulled up a straight-back chair and sat down. He waved to Tux, who went out, shutting the door behind him. Then he took out a gold cigarette case and offered it to Johnny.

After a moment's hesitation, Johnny took a cigarette and accepted a light.

"We won't talk about Gilda just yet," O'Brien said, "We'll talk about you. How are you, Johnny?"

"Before that n.i.g.g.e.r knocked me around I was fine," Johnny said. "You don't imagine you're going to get away with this, do you?"

"I get away with most things," O'Brien returned. "I hear the doctors have given you a clean bill of health."

"So what? They would have given it to me before only they wanted to make as much out of me as they could," Johnny said with a sneer. "They're all alike. All they think about is what they can get out of me."

"I was under the impression your sister was paying the bills," O'Brien said quietly. "Nice of you to show so much interest."

Johnny laughed.

"That cat won't jump," he added. "Gilda's got all the money she wants at the moment; I haven't. If she had to go into a nuthouse, I'd take care of her. Besides, she's going to marry you, isn't she? She'll have millions. It's not too much to expect her to pay my doctor's bills, is it?"

O'Brien had to make an effort to control his temper.

"You're a nasty little rat, aren't you, Johnny?" he said. "I'm d.a.m.ned glad you're not my brother."

"But I'm going to be your brother-in-law," Johnny jeered. "That is if Gilda will take you after what you've done to me. You must have been crazy to pull a stunt like this, but maybe I won't say anything about it. It'll cost you ten grand for me to keep my mouth shut. I don't suppose you'll find any trouble in raising ten grand, will you?"

"No trouble at all," O'Brien said mildly. "But you're not getting anything out of me. I'm surprised you haven't asked why you're here."

Into the deep green eyes came an uneasy expression.

"Well, okay: why am I here?"

"Obviously because the cure hasn't worked. You are still a mental case, Johnny."

Johnny's face went white and his eyes glittered.

"Yeah? You don't scare me. You know d.a.m.n well you won't marry Gilda if you try to push me around. The doctors say I'm all right, and I am all right!"

"Then why did you kill Fay Carson?" O'Brien asked. "Not a very good recommendation for your sanity, is it?"

Johnny looked away.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said uneasily.

"Oh, yes, you do. Last night you went to Fay Carson's apartment and stabbed her with an icepick."

"You're crazy! Last night I was with you, and you're stuck with it, Sean."

O'Brien shook his head.

"That won't work. I was at a party last night. Why did you kill her?"

"Who said I did?" Johnny asked.

"Why try and bluff with me?" O'Brien said curtly. "You threatened to kill her before you went into the home, the moment you come out she's murdered. Do you imagine you can get away with it?"

Johnny stared at him.

"I know I can get away with it!" he said.

"So you admit it, then?" O'Brien said.

"Okay, I admit it," Johnny returned. "I said I'd finish her and I like to keep a promise. She had enough warning. She went on with her dirty game and there wasn't any other logical dung to do with her."

O'Brien hadn't had any doubt that Johnny had killed Fay, but he hadn't expected him to be quite so brazen about it.

"And how long do you imagine it'll be before the police get on to you?"

Johnny laughed.

"Be your age! What's the use of having a political boss as a future brother-in-law if one can't knock off a dirty b.i.t.c.h when she needs killing? I've made it easy for you. There was a guy with her when I killed her. He can take the rap. It'll be easy for you to shift the rap on to him. You've got the Commissioner in your pocket, haven't you? He'll do what you tell him."

"You're taking a lot for granted," O'Brien said quietly. "Suppose I do nothing of the kind?"

"But you will," Johnny said easily. "You can't afford to let the cops catch me, Sean. I know just how besotted you are about Gilda. I'm not blaming you: she's a s.e.xy piece, and any guy in his right senses would want to marry her. But if the police catch me, you won't dare marry her. I know just how much you've been avoiding the limelight ever since you took control of the Administration. You don't fool me, Sean. You have something to bide, and publicity is just the thing you don't want."

O'Brien studied him, his face expressionless. A cold, murderous rage had hold of him, but he didn't show it.

"I wonder if you did kill her," he said slowly.

Johnny laughed.

"You needn't believe me if you don't want to," he said indifferently. "It was easy. She had a rotten memory and was always locking herself out. The little fool used to keep a spare key under the mat. I went to her place, found the key and let If in. I hid in the bedroom. She came back with this guy." His thin face hardened. "I had the icepick ready. She was so scared she didn't even scream. I wish you could have seen her face. She had taken off her clothes and was admiring herself in the mirror. I came up behind her. She saw me in the mirror and turned. I didn't think a human face could look so frightened. I stabbed her. There was nothing to it. She fell across the bed, looking up at me. The guy in the other room shouted out, asking her how long she was going to be. So I fused the lights and beat it. It was as easy as that, Sean."

"Did anyone see you leave the apartment?" O'Brien asked.

"Of course not. Do you imagine I'm a fool? I took care no one did see me."

"Gilda knows you're in town. Does anyone else?"

Johnny's eyes shifted.

"No."

"How did you know where Fay lived?"

Again Johnny's eyes shifted.

"I knew she often went to the Blue Rose. I took a chance and went down there. I saw her come out and I followed her."

O'Brien made an impatient gesture.

"Don't lie! You just said you were waiting for her when she came home. How could you have followed her if you were at the apartment before she arrived?"

Johnny grinned.

"You're quite a cop, aren't you, Sean? Well, if you must know, I asked Paradise Louie where she hung out."

"So he knows you were after her? You stupid fool I Do you think he'll keep his mouth shut?"

"That's up to you," Johnny returned carelessly. "You can handle Louie.

You'd better see him and fix it."

O'Brien sat staring down at the floor, thinking.

"I wouldn't have touched her if I hadn't been sure of your protection," Johnny went on. He swung his legs off the bunk. "I'm sick of this stinking cabin. Let's go to your bank and collect ten grand, then I'll get off to New York."

O'Brien looked up "You're kidding yourself, Johnny," he said, the edge of his rage showing in his voice He got up, went to the door, opened it and beckoned to Tux, who was waiting outside.

"Come in here."

Tux moved silently into the cabin, closed the door and set his back to it.

Johnny eyed him warily and moved back.

"Now look here, Sean," he said, "I've taken as much as I'm going to from you. Don't try any more funny stuff or you'll be sorry."

O'Brien ignored him.

"Johnny is to stay here," he said to Tux, "until I tell you to let him loose. You're responsible for him. If he tries to get away, I'll leave it to you to teach him not to try again. He's in your charge, Tux. If he doesn't behave, knock his G.o.dd.a.m.n head off!"

"Okay, boss," Tux said, and his brutal face brightened a little.

"You can't treat me that way!" Johnny exclaimed. "If you don't let me off this boat right now I'll ruin you!"

"You stupid punk!" O'Brien snarled. "You're staying here until I say so. Shut your trap or I'll have it shut for you!"

Johnny jumped across the cabin towards...o...b..ien, his fists swinging, but before he could come within striking distance, Tux had shuffled forward, blocked his rush and sent him reeling back.

"I'll make you pay for this!" Johnny snarled, glaring at O'Brien. "I'll see Gilda doesn't marry you, you bighead!"